ECN Electrical Forum
Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals

Recall notice

Actually, if you use the Prove-Test-Prove method on your test equipment, on a known source of voltage, before and after you've tested something, this sort of thing shouldn't happen.
Having absolute faith in the integrity of your test gear (especially the battery operated stuff) is what is known as complacency.
Complacency kills electricians.

From what I can gather, a complaint was filed because the meter displays are equipped with a low battery indicator that doesn’t operate as it is supposed to when the meter is used with a low battery.

The meter will power up normally and the display indicates zero volts, even when voltage is present at the test leads, but the “low batt” indicator does not come on, so apparently there’s no indication that anything is wrong. Personally, I would never trust a meter again if it did that to me even once.

As I said KJay, in my post, it is up to the user of the test gear to ascertain that that gear is operating correctly before and after the testing has taken place.
Even if that means using a second piece of test gear.
Wires do break in test leads, if you are using fused test leads, a fuse could have blown, you need to ensure your OWN safety and the knowledge that you have isolated a circuit correctly and have isolated the correct circuit.

Interestingly, this is almost identical to the FLUKE clamp meter recall from last year: Fluke Recall Website http://www.fluke.com/33xrecall

"Through quality assurance tests, we have discovered a potential short circuit connection on the circuit board. This may lead to inaccurate voltage readings including a low or no voltage reading on a circuit energized with a hazardous voltage. This finding could create a hazardous situation if the user were to contact live voltage based on an erroneous instrument reading."

I agree with you Trumpy 1000% but we live in a would of idiot proofing just so we can breed bigger idiots to surecede the idiot proofing. It what drives our economy